James Bainbridge

Based in Cape Town, James has scoured southern Africa for magazine and TV assignments, Lonely Planet and Time Out guidebooks. Being the senior author of Lonely Planet's South Africa, Lesotho and Swaziland guide has taken him from the Cape Peninsula's African penguin colony to the hippos wallowing in the Limpopo River, with plenty of stops in parks and reserves along the way.

James moved to the Cape from London in 2010, and one thing he loves about his new home is the accessibility of its dramatic landscapes and wildlife viewing; whether you want to see lions in the Kalahari or soaring Drakensberg peaks, you can do it all in a 2WD car. Recently returned from a safari honeymoon in Botswana, James and wife Leigh-Robin grab every chance to pack their binoculars, cameras and cool box, and explore southern Africa.

James writes about Africa and beyond for publications worldwide. Visit his website for articles on subjects from Turkish culture to Britain's remotest pub, and follow him on Twitter at twitter.com/jamesbains.